Honda has issued a recall of just 157 examples of the 2012 Civic due to a steering column issue. The sedans in question were built between October 26 and October 30 this year, and were fitted with the wrong steering column assembly. Because these particular columns "may not have proper energy absorbing characteristics," in the event of an accident the risk of injury is increased.

Do the opinions of automotive journalists matter? For us, that may be a bit of transcendental self-examination, but for the consuming public, it's a very real question. Is a potential customer of a new family sedan going to rely completely on Consumer Reports, or are they willing to go with their own gut feelings and neighbors' recommendations?

Thanks to an anonymous tipster, Autoblog has learned that the so-called "emergency refresh" of the Honda Civic is just around the corner. In fact, the automaker is already urging its dealers to clear out remaining 2012 model year stock because "The changes made to the 2013 model will make the outgoing 2012 Civic a difficult model [to] sell when they are side to side." Those are the words of David Hendley, Assistant Vice President of Honda National Sales excerpted from a recent letter to dealers.

Honda has issued a voluntary recall of its 2012 Civic over a potential issue with the left driveshaft. There are 50,000 cars that might be affected by an improperly assembled part. The fault can lead to the shaft dislodging from the outer CV joint while the car is moving, resulting in a loss of power and the inability to prevent the car from rolling away in certain conditions when the car is parked.

It's no secret that the 2012 Honda Civic has been the subject of harsh criticism since its launch earlier this year. It's also no secret that Honda is rushing to redesign the Civic, and while we originally reported that the new car would be coming sometime in 2013 or 2014, a memo to the automaker's dealer network states that the reworked Civic will arrive before the end of 2012.

Let's face it, nobody pays MSRP anymore. In fact, the most savvy car buyers among us don't even pay invoice price. Thanks to Internet pricing sites like TrueCar.com, it doesn't take negotiating skills or friends in the business to get dealers to sell you cars at deep discount. And that fact has Honda ticked off.

There are plenty of ways to know an automaker has made a misstep. Diminished sales and high inventory are typical markers of a lackluster model, as is a paucity of critical acclaim. All three factors are currently weighting on the 2012 Honda Civic. And while stopping short of an actual apology, Honda CEO Takanobu Ito has reportedly stepped in to take responsibility for the model's reception. At a Tokyo Motor Show roundtable, Ito told media members that he takes full responsibility for the vehicl

Automotive News reports that Honda is itching to release a mid-cycle refresh for the company's 2012 Civic. In response to a harsh criticism from reviewers and the model's first failure to earn a coveted Recommended rating from Consumer Reports in recent memory, the automaker has apparently decided to pull ahead the model's refresh to 2013 instead of 2014. The report quotes John Mendel, American Honda Executive Vice President, as saying that his company is "appropriately energized" by feedback fr

Honda has recently taken a few shots directly across the bow, fired from the heavy guns of Consumer Reports. First, CR stated that the 2012 Civic had lost its Recommended Rating. Shortly after that, Consumer Reports went for the knockout by releasing a piece that chronicled what it describes as a decline in Honda's competitiveness. That wouldn't feel good for any automaker, but how does it feel if you just signed on as the new head of marketing?

There have been few remodels in the compact car segment that have been more eagerly anticipated than the 2012 Honda Civic. And why not? The Civic has been the standard-bearer in the segment for decades, and hopes were high for the new model.

There's no greater cardinal sin in the automotive world than completely replacing a highly successful model with an inferior machine. According to Consumer Reports, that's precisely what happened with the 2012 Honda Civic.